XN000022-1986-12-03 — Page 10

8

WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 3, 1986

+THE OBJECT OF A TRANSITIONAL 'DUMMY-RUN' PHASE IS SIMPLY TO ENSURE THAT MEMBERS WILL HAVE ADEQUATE OPPORTUNITY TO EXAMINE FOR THEMSELVES WHETHER EXISTING PROCEDURES NEED TO BE MODIFIED OR ADJUSTED IN ANY WAY, IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THE USE OF A SECOND TEXT IN BILLS.+

DEALING WITH THE INTERPRETATION AND GENERAL CLAUSES (AMENDMENT) (NO, 3) BILL, MR THOMAS SAID IT CONCERNED TECHNICAL LEGAL MATTERS RELATING TO THE CONSTRUCTION OF LAWS WHICH HAD BEEN ENACTED IN BOTH OFFICIAL LANGUAGES OR FOR WHICH AN AUTHENTIC TEXT WAS PROMULGATED UNDER THE OFFICIAL LANGUAGES (AMENDMENT) BILL.

+THE BASIC OBJECTIVE OF THE BILL IS TO FACILITATE THE LEGAL INTERPRETATION OF BILINGUAL LEGISLATION BY PROVIDING A NUMBER OF GUIDELINES.

+ THE MOST SIGNIFICANT OF THESE IS IN NEW SECTION 10B WHICH PROVIDES THAT THE TEXTS OF A BILINGUAL ORDINANCE ARE TO BE REGARDED AS EQUALLY AUTHENTIC AND AS HAVING THE SAME LEGAL MEANING, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE OBJECT AND PURPOSES OF THE ORDINANCE.+

MR THOMAS NOTED THAT BOTH BILLS WERE SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AS THE DRAFT BILLS THAT WERE ANNEXED TO THE DISCUSSION PAPER WHICH THE COUNCIL DEBATED IN JULY.

SOME ALTERATIONS HAD BEEN MADE TO MEET SOME OF THE POINTS RECEIVED DURING THE PERIOD OF CONSULTATION.

+GENERALLY SPEAKING, GIVEN THE WIDESPREAD INTEREST IN THE SUBJECT AND THE FAVOURABLE NATURE OF THE RESPONSE OF THE MANY AND VARIOUS PERSONS AND BODIES THAT COMMENTED, THE FRAMEWORK AND ARRANGEMENTS PROPOSED IN THESE BILLS SEEMS WIDELY ACCEPTABLE TO ALL THOSE WHO HAVE SHOWN AN INTEREST IN THIS IMPORTANT PROJECT,+ HE SAID.

+THE COMMUNITY RECOGNISES THAT THE GOVERNMENT IS RIGHT TO UNDERTAKE THE WORK OF BILINGUAL LEGISLATION. THESE ARE THE FIRST STEPS NECESSARY TO BRING THAT WORK TO FRUITION.+

DEBATE ON THE BILLS WAS ADJOURNED.

Page 10Page 11